Probing Ant Hills

Do you know the entrance to ant hills (at least the tiny red ants from the tropics) are closed every night, with a muddy patch?

One early morning, as a child-I saw this muddy patch of an ant hill enclosure/gate. I came running after school to see what happened to it. There was no mud sealing; the entrance was wide open and the tiny ant buddies were busy signaling and seem to be marching in all (eight) directions. I thought, I must have had a dream about ants closing the entrance.

Next morning when I woke up-the thought "the mighty muddy enclosure of the ant hill"- popped up in my mind. I just dumped handful of the tasty pink herbal tooth powder in my palm and ran to the playground. There it was-a fresh new muddy patch covering the entrance to the ant hill.

Trying not to get the tooth powder from my forefinger in my eye-I rubbed my eyes with the back of my right hand and looked again. I was not dreaming. There was no entrance and no ants. But, the muddy patch was there covering the entrance!

I picked up a thin twig and pushed down the muddy patch; instantaneously, the ant soldiers poured out jamming up the entry way, literally looking to tackle the intruder. Wow! Do they even sleep? Now that I have confirmed the existence of a perpetual, nocturnal muddy patch, protecting the fortress of the ants- I began to wonder and ponder upon my next question.

Do the ants ever go to sleep?

I am still not sure; all I know is that- by the Grace of GOD...I am going to Australia!

Copyright © 2009 VeerajaR

I am my-mother's daughter!